The Myanmar authorities must immediately release two journalists from the Reuters news agency who have been arbitrarily detained for investigating military abuses in Myanmar’s Rakhine State, Amnesty International said.
The two journalists, Wa Lone and Kyaw Soe Oo, are due in court today. They had been investigating the recent military operations in Rakhine State when they were arrested on 12 December 2017.
“Wa Lone and Kyaw Soe Oo must be immediately and unconditionally released. They have done absolutely nothing but carry out their legitimate work as journalists. This is clearly an attempt by the authorities to silence investigations into military violations and crimes against Rohingya in Rakhine State, and to scare other journalists away from doing the same,” said James Gomez, Amnesty International’s Director for Southeast Asia and the Pacific.
“These arrests have not happened in a vacuum, but come as authorities are increasingly restricting independent media. Journalists and media outlets, in particular those who report on ‘sensitive topics’, are living with the constant fear of harassment, intimidation or arrest. This clampdown on freedom of speech must end.”
Background
Wa Lone and Kyaw Soe Oo were arrested in Yangon, Myanmar’s main city, on 12 December 2017. They were held incommunicado for two weeks. State officials have confirmed the two are being investigated for breaching Myanmar’s Official Secrets Act, which carries a maximum sentence of 14 years in prison.
